AAS 80 - La Santa Sede

818 Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale
More and more, people are joining with their pastors in collaboration
and consultation for the good of their diocèse and parish. An increasing
number of lay men and women are devoting their professional skills
on a full-time basis to the Church's efforts in éducation, social services,
and other areas, or to the exercise of administrative responsibilities.
Still others build up the Body of Christ by direct collaboration with
the Church's pastoral ministry, especially in bringing Christ's love
to those in the parish or community who have special needs. I rejoice
with you at this great flowering of gifts in the service of the Church's
mission.
At the same time we must ensure both in theory and in practice
that these positive developments are always rooted in the sound Catholic
ecclesiology taught by the Council. Otherwise we run the risk of
"clericalizing" the laity or "laicizing" the clergy, and thus robbing
both the clerical and lay states of their specific meaning and their
complementarity. Both are indispensable to the "perfection of love",
which is the common goal of ali the faithful. We must therefore
recognize and respect in these states of life a diversity that builds
up the Body of Christ in unity.
6. As lay men and women you can fulfìll this great mission
authentically and effectively only to the extent that you hold fast
to your faith, in communion with the Body of Christ. You must
therefore live in the conviction that there can be no séparation between
your faith and your life, and that apart from Christ you can do
nothing. 12 Since union with God in Christ is the goal of ali Christian
living, the laity are called to prayer : personal prayer, family prayer,
liturgical prayer. Générations of devout lay people have found great
strength and joy in invoking the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially
through her rosary, and in invoking the Saints.
In particular, the laity must realize that they are a people of
worship called to service. In the past I had occasion to emphasize
this aspect of the life of the laity in the United States : "Ali the
striving of the laity to consécrate the secular field of activity to Cod
finds inspiration and magnificent confirmation in the Eucharistie Sacrifice.
Participating in the Eucharist is only a small portion of
the laity's week, but the total effectiveness of their lives and ali
Christian renewal dépends on it : the primary and indispensable
source of the true Christian spirit!". 13
12 Cf. Jn 15:5.
13 Ad Limina Discourse, July 9, 1983.